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How ‘Dutch Reach’ prevents dooring of cyclists: video

road.cc) How the ‘Dutch Reach’ can prevent cyclists being doored:Video Simon MacMichael October 19 2016 Our story today about the trial of a Glasgow taxi driver who fatally injured a cyclist when he opened the door of his vehicle into the rider’s path sadly illustrates one of the main hazards facing people on bikes –… [Read More]

Our story today about the trial of a Glasgow taxi driver who fatally injured a cyclist when he opened the door of his vehicle into the rider’s path sadly illustrates one of the main hazards facing people on bikes – but across the Atlantic, there are calls to learn from the Netherlands about how to prevent such incidents happening by using one simple technique.

Illustrated in the above video from Outside Magazine, it’s called the ‘Dutch Reach,’ and takes its name from the fact that learner drivers in the Netherlands are required to open their car door with their right hand.

The manoeuvre means that their upper body has to twist around, meaning they are looking towards the rear of the vehicle – and, therefore, towards any cyclists who may be riding in the so-called ‘door zone.’

Outside Magazine notes in its report on a campaign by a Massachusetts doctor to introduce the technique there that of 45,000 cyclists injured in the United States in 2015, one in ten were victims of a vehicle occupant opening a door as they approached.